


An Announcement to Make

by Not_You



Series: It's Weird When Shaw Is Nice [2]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: AU, Bathing/Washing, Domesticity, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Mpreg, Multi, Polyamory, always with the pet names, i know it's weird when shaw is nice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-23
Updated: 2012-11-23
Packaged: 2017-11-19 08:10:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/571081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shaw comes back from a business trip (monster-slaying business) and knows that Erik and Anya will be delighted to see him.  Charles being this happy about it (and having the news he does) is just one huge, glorious bonus glistening in the morning sun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Announcement to Make

Anya likes her new second mother. There are stories about them being cruel or neglectful, but Charles is good to her. And he speaks Stonetongue and knows more math than her mathematics master, so he ends up taking over some of her lessons. There are times he has to put on something pretty and appear in Father's very small court and times when Anya does too, but it's mostly quiet. This routine only falls into place after Father leaves again, because until he does, she spends all day with him and Charles spends all night. Anya is still hazy on the details, but knows that people must share a bed to make a baby, and that Father and Charles are trying extra hard. Mother helps them sometimes, but mostly stays with Anya and listens to her recite and plaits her hair and all the things Mother does. He goes back to his sculpture when Father leaves again, using that metal magic that had made him so famous in his youth. He still has the portraits that went out across the land, and Anya loves to look at them. There are new ones of Charles, and she likes them, too. She's learning to paint, but isn't very good yet. Charles helps her drawing master, Anya an eager enough student for two teachers. 

She misses Father, but at least winter is nearly over and he'll be home soon. The cold brings the monsters down from the north, and it's Father's job (along with the other northern lords) to go and fight them so they can't eat the people or their beasts. In return, the southern lords send fruit and flowers and scholars, the western lords fish and the free use of their boats, and the eastern ones grain and labor and the meat of huge forest beasts. Father always promises to come back safe, and has for as long as Anya can remember. But he has big purple scars, and his left leg aches in cold weather, so she always worries about it being comfortable. Still, it's warm today and the sun is coming in the window and Father will be home soon. She says as much to Mother, who smiles and agrees. He's teaching Charles the local embroidery patterns, very different from those of Westchester. Charles's southerly home is known for wider, more delicate styles of interlinking hoops or flowering vines as well as tiny and close scarletwork, while here they favor figurative tapestry and strong runic designs and geometric blackwork. Charles is good at all of it, though, learning quickly. He blushes a little to think of Father coming home, and puts a self-conscious hand to his belly where it's rounding out just a bit. Anya giggles, and jumps off her little stool by the window to hug him. Her own indifferent blackwork is lying neglected beside her, but Mother doesn't say anything.

"He'll be so happy when you tell him," she says, because it's true. He and Mother had been very sad when Mother got so sick, and it's not just because they need the next Lord Shaw. They want Anya to have sisters as well as brothers, and she does too. Charles just smiles and puts his work aside, pulling her into his lap.

"I hope so."

"I know so," Mother says, and kisses Charles. Anya giggles again, just because she's so happy they get along.

Father does come home at last. Like always, he praises Mother for being wise and just in his absence and kisses him, but now there's Charles, and he gets a kiss too, and a kindly inquiry after his welfare. Charles just lowers his eyes and says that he's very well, my lord, thank you. Anya is just about bursting with their happy secret, but just hugs Father and kisses his cheek, giggling when he picks her up and spins with her.

Sebastian is glad to see his wives again, but after he has listened to Anya's adventures, gotten Erik's political report and acceded to Charles's request for more books, he's glad to just sink into a hot bath and close his eyes for a moment. It is of course enough to lull him to sleep, but he's too old and too canny not to wake up when someone joins him. He's expecting Erik though, not the little, lithe shape of his child-bride slipping into the water beside him silent as a minnow in a pool. He wraps an arm around him as Charles presses against his side, cooing.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you, my lord."

Sebastian chuckles. "Not at all." He rubs the boy's back and smiles as Charles melts against him, crawling into his lap and kissing his jaw. 

"I missed you, my lord."

"And I you, pretty pet. It seems we've hardly had any time to get to know each other." He twines a chestnut curl around his finger, tugging gently. 

Charles mewls, pressing close and gazing up at him with those big blue eyes. "You mean it?"

"Of course I do. I don't know why your relatives didn't value you. I feel that they've traded gold for dross." He kisses Charles and the boy whines, trembling.

"M-my lord," he whispers, shyly hiding his face in Sebastian's throat, "I…" It takes some stammering and indecisiveness over the right words for the poor little thing to just tell Sebastian that he's pregnant, and he squeaks and blushes at being hugged.

"Good work, little one," he purrs, nuzzling Charles's ear and making him shiver.


End file.
